BHUBANESWAR: THE ruling BJD is planning a massive protest across Odisha from February 14 to 16 against Centre’s decision to stop the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) and slashing of allocation for paddy procurement to Rs 20,000 crore in the 2023-24 Union budget.
Addressing mediapersons here, former minister Arun Kumar Sahu said the party will stage a protest in front of the Raj Bhavan on February 14 demanding that all paddy should be procured from Odisha. He said that a delegation of BJD leaders will submit a memorandum to Governor Prof Ganeshi Lal in this regard.
Protests will be staged by the party at all the gram panchayat headquarters on February 15 followed by demonstrations in front of all collectorates and block offices on February 16. A memorandum will be submitted to President Droupadi Murmu opposing the reduced allocation for paddy procurement and demanding that PMGKAY should be continued.
If the demand is not met within 15 days, the party will stage protest across the state against the Centre, he added. The former minister said that the cut in the budget on paddy procurement will severely affect the farmers, especially in western Odisha.